we almost did a few years back, and made the right choice not too. Sure the looks don't impress much, but hey if you care more about quality than pizazz, you will be happy. We have been to most of the highly rated sushi places in this city and have not found a better value than the dragon plate at Sam's. All the yummy stuff, good price, good service, enough food for two (supplement with an extra miso and some edamame). Their sashimi is consistently buttery-and is better than most. My wife has become a big sushi fan because of this place!

if you are a sushi fanatic..and im not talking california rolls here then you should know that this place is only average..i would sometimes come here for lunch..acceptable, but i had the same dinner as the reviewer before me and it didn't not strike me as that good. i would say maybe 6 out of 10. there are far better sushi places in seattle for the same price.

Peering into the doorway of Sam’s Sushi on Queen Anne Avenue, I saw an unremarkable dining room with a television hanging over the sushi bar, allowing the two sushi chefs to keep their eyes on the Mariners game. "It looks kinda divey," I said to my girlfriend. "It could be total crap or Seattle's best kept secret." We went for it and split a basic sashimi platter. The owner, Sam, talked baseball as he assembled our meal. I couldn’t help thinking that in my quest for authentic cuisine, a television broadcasting baseball made sense, given the Japanese love for the game. Besides, I preferred Sam’s relaxed, happy hour atmosphere to the stuffiness of downtown Seattle’s impress-your -match.com-date places. Our platter came neatly arranged, the California Roll skirting the top with the sashimi pieces filling out the rest of the square plate. The moderately priced arrangement included ahi, salmon and octopus. I can’t say that I tasted anything new or unusual, but the fish was fresh and good, and that’s all sushi really needs to be. We then ordered a Dragon Roll, a nearly foot long inside-out roll surrounding tempura-fried shrimp, all topped with thin fillets of succulent grilled eel. The eel’s natural fattiness supplied plenty of flavor, and its crispy cousin made for a delightful crunch in every bite. When we finished our meal, my girlfriend had a smile on our face. I’m sure Sam also wore a smile that night. I heard the Mariners won.